Best round baler

Looking to buy a baler nothing new wondering what the best one is

530john Deere and newer if very new Vermeer

How new is not new? 5 years old , 10 years old or 2
years old? I had a CaseIH that I bought in 2012, it
was a 454 RB silage special model, with string and
net wrap. Worked pretty darn good for me, now it
would be 6 years old, and they sell used for about
the same money as I gave for mine new.

20,000 bales through my Vermeer 505 super I silage special baler, and I have not replaced a bearing or belt yet. It is a 1995, and a good used
one should be able to be had for $5,000-$6,000. You can find them cheaper, but my opinion is to pay a little more and get the hydraulic tension,
rather than spring tension, bale kicker on the back, wide flotation tires, wide belts, etc. Those options all add to the cost, but are well worth it in
my opinion.

Lots of very knowledgeable folks here Greenismean. If you elaborate specifically what your needs are you will get some good answers. You have essentially asked something like "I am looking to buy a car, any suggestions?"

We have 2 Vermeer 505 super I round balers. They
are both 1996. We had one and loved it. We have
put over 15,000 bale through it and only replaced
the drive chains once. Never put a bearing in it yet.
We liked that one so well we had the chance to buy
a second one that had been shedded for about ten
years with only a couple thousand bales through it,
so we now have 2. That one is the same way, just
take them to the field and make hay. They never sit
out over night and are greased and oiled before
each use. Never had jd but lots of those in our area
about the same years and seem to work very well
also!

The best round baler has always been the one that replaced a small square baler.
😃

Everybody gave their opinion so I'll ask the $100,000 question. You want a round baler or a square baler?

I have had JD round balers since they brought out the JD 535 in 1989. I just sold my first JD 566 baler back in the spring. It had baled over 75,000 bales. We currently have three JD round balers, (2) JD 567s and one JD 568. We bale over 35,000 bales each year doing custom work. I will put a JD round baler against any one built in shredded corn stalks. In dry hay most of the modern balers will bale well. In corn stalks it take a GREAT baler to do so with any speed.

Two years ago my neighbor was looking at buying a new round baler. He was in my shop talking smack about how he thought a CNH baler would just eat a JD baler's lunch. He had demoed one in hay. So he had his corn stalks shredded. The local CNH dealer was bring out a baler and rake to demo. I asked him If we could come over for a side by side comparison. He said great. I called the CNH dealer, since he is a friend, and told him we would be there too.

When they got there they started raking the stalks. They where making 3 foot wide windrows. When they had raked about half the field I had one of my sons bring over our rake and double up every 3rd and 4th windrow they had raked. I wanted a WINDROW not a windrow. LOL The combined windrow was five foot wide by 2-3 foot tall. I had my JD 4455 and JD 567 Mega tooth baler ready. We started at the same time. I ran the baler two rounds. I jumped out and put my 14 year old Grand daughter back into "HER" tractor and baler. She can make it walk and talk. I told her to make fifty bales and quit. Fifty eight minutes later she was done. Between us we had made 62 bales in 75 minutes. Lets just say the CNH did not fair as well.

We brought over our feeder wagon with scales. If you throw a couple of 4x4s across it you can set a round bale on top and weight it. We had the neighbor pick 10 bales from each baler and we weighted them. Our bales averaged just under 900 lbs. The CNH just over 800 lbs. About 85 lbs. difference. The JD baler made more bales heaver and faster.

Not all of the difference was the balers. We bale a heck of a lot of stalk bales. I have worked with JD round balers for just at 30 years now. We set them up to bale stalks. JD nor CNH set them up like we do. We raise the baler up as tall as we can get it. That opens the throat up to the max. We remove the compression rack in stalks. We then rake LARGE windrows and crowd the stalks into the pickup and belts. It takes 125 HP minimum to run a larger baler at full capacity. We usually run 150 or more to keep it there even with hills.

So Yes I am bragging about a GOOD baler. They simply will bale fast and tight bales. Some Vermeer balers are close in stalks. In hay Vermeer and modern Hesston/MF will do good work. CNH has some models that do well but some do not. The older Hesston balers and Agco/CIH badged ones will bale just OK bales, not real fast but they are pretty economical for the smaller producer with hay only.

Any baler that does a good job and doesn't have a payment book. That's the best. A $300.00 baler and a $30,000 baler still push the same hay out the back. Al

You should try the Kubota baler. I thought my CaseIH baler was good, but then I bought the new Kubota, and I won?t trade back

I'm with you I use NH chain balers,have several and the 3 I use regularly cost under $500 each ready to bale hay.They are slower than some and not as neat of a bale but when I sell my
calves and goats I can go spend the money like I want not pay on a bunch of equipment.Have a good friend that bought new JD baler last year he has over 2X as much money in that baler as I have in all the tractors and equipment I make hay with and of course he is always complaining about how farmers have it so tough and can't make any money these days(LOL)

Im really wide open to suggestions looking to spend around 5-6 grand. Had a new holland 845 but was missing three floor chains and couldnt get it to start a bale and the replacement chains were more than what I paid for the baler so anything will be a step up

The best hay I ever put up was with a soft core baler. CaseIh 3650 or 8480 New idea 486 or there is a Hesston 518. If the hay is dry and the springs set right the bales won't squat. These balers can be bought for under 5,000. If you plan on selling some of these bales I would use plastic. Very simple baler that is gentle with the hay.

I've used a NW 851 chain baler for 15 years now. Once adjusted they make a bale, very inexpensively.
Parts balers are cheap, NH carries every part I've ever needed. Take a look at the apron chains, from
underneath were you see how they're adjusted. Find one complete and with good chains and you're set.
Keep the cross bars tight on the chains. raise the hood, rig a tool and rotate the chain around
tightening the 4 bolts on ea bar. You'll find missing bolts, loose bolts etc. One those bars coming
loose is usually what relegates the baler to the parts row. Good, inexpensive baler, all over the place
(at least here in west central MN). My 2 bits. Guys all have they're favorites and they are all good.
Whatever you end up with take the time to figure out how everything works, and you'll see what to
maintain etc etc

I use the NH 851 balers too and on the bar bolts I check them about every day and when the originals come out I replace them with grade 8 bolts and self locking nuts.

Best one depends on what tractor you are hitching it to and how much you have to spend.

I have a NH 847 that I bought at auction in like New Condition the guy bough it 30 years ago and parked it in a shed and only used it a few times paid $900 for it works great but rarely use it as I like the larger size bales.Around my area the chain NH balers just don't sell very good which is fine for me.

Anything that is not closed throat is ok, some of the early open throat Hesston's and JD had a starter roll inside the bale chamber that was bad about plugging if hay wasn't in perfect condition.
Unfortunately at your price range you'll only find older balers that most likely will be needing bearings,belts, chains,bars replaced now or in the near future so be aware that you could be buying someone else's problems.
I sold my 94 NH 640 silage special in 14, it was 20 years old with all original belts and bearings, the belts needed replaced and you could hear some of the bearings making noise so I knew it was just a matter of time. Dealer quoted $6k for belts and bearings so I decided it was time to upgrade to a newer used baler.

The amount of hay you plan to bale and tractor size also effects your choice as to the price and size of the baler you purchase.

Personally I like the smaller 4x5 balers, bales are easier to transport, fits my under 80 hp tractor operations better. On good ground one can operate a 4x5 baler with a 50-60 pto hp tractor.

I hear Kubota is coming out with a new combine this year.

Not sure how much they changed it but a lot of Kabota's hay line is the old Vicon brand.
Kubota bought Vicon.

I Like That Too ,.. Gonna Stik with My chain Balers ,, I keep getting New Hay Ground with trees in it ,Couple Yrs Ago I Told my Brother , Theres a days worth of Kitchen Stove wood in every Bale ,.,. Those Balers Will Bale Anything.

Yea I get some rough stuff to bale sometimes that hasn't been cut in a couple years the sharp sticks will cut belts but those NH balers will wrap it up.Bought a 851 a couple years ago with a broken chain for $50 that had a huge bale of alfalfa/orchard grass mix hay in it.Guy popped the chain and then backed it in the shed bale and all.